The destructive nature of species of termites which ingest the wood of structures and other construction materials is well known. The presence of termites and their onset of destructive activity is generally difficult to detect and control since termites are subterranean and forage cryptically, and destruction occurs internally within wooden structures and provides no external signs of damage until termite infestation is at a relatively advanced stage.
Current conventional control procedures for subterranean termites involve digging a trench around a structure to be protected, depositing a pesticide within the trench, and pressure injecting pesticides. Applications are also made from the inside of structures by drilling holes in slab floors and footings and injecting termiticides. Such treatments are only prophylactic; their goal is to provide a continuous chemical barrier between the structure and the termite colony in the soil. This procedure has several disadvantages. No means are provided for monitoring termite activity prior to depositing a pesticide within the soil, so the efficacy of the control procedure cannot be assessed. Additionally, the pesticide is deposited around a structure, often without knowledge of which areas are most at risk for infestation. It is extremely difficult to achieve a complete or uniform chemical barrier around the perimeter and beneath a building, rendering the structure vulnerable to termites which find breaches in the application. Once the pesticide is applied to the soil, it cannot be removed. Finally, the termite colony likely remains viable foraging on food sources outside of the chemical barrier, thus poised to reinfest upon degradation of any portion of the chemical treatment.
Drywood termites, which nest within the wooden structures they ingest, are likewise difficult to control. The currently dominant method of remedial control involves fumigation, or tightly tenting the entire structure and pumping in lethal concentrations of methyl bromide or Vikane gases. Preventive measures include using a chemically treated wood in the original construction; applying chemical "paints" (preservatives or pesticides) or other finishes to seal and protect cracks within wooden structures; or depositing a pesticide directly into wooden structures through holes drilled for the purpose of internally applying the pesticide. These known methods provide no means for readily detecting a termite infestation.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved system for diagnosing and monitoring termite activity, determining the extent of an infestation, and and thereafter controlling termite infestation if termite activity is detected. The improved system, in its preferred embodiment, eliminates the disadvantages of the known methods discussed above by providing means for detection of termite activity before a pesticide is applied, and thereafter applying a removable pesticide to only localized control stations. The detection and control of termite activity is accomplished without disturbing the pre-existing environment of a termite colony to assure continued access of termites to the bait station. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description thereof.